Embracing the Dream

Grade Level:

High School (9-12)

Honoring the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. [1]

As large scale protests across the country highlight the racial injustice that continues to plague the country, Dr. Martin Luther King's dream for justice, equality and non-violence provides an urgent call for reflection and action this year.

Every January, Not In Our Town honors Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy by sharing the real life stories of people who are applying Dr. King’s principles today. Though the political landscape has changed since the Civil Rights era, his dream that the United States would fulfill its promise of equality has yet to become reality. But Dr. King’s work proves that change is indeed possible in this country.

The communities in Embracing the Dream: Lessons from the Not In Our Town Movement are living proof of that—town by town, school by school, they demonstrate that change is happening. Watch their stories below.

What will you do this Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Monday, January 18th - to Embrace the Dream?

Not In Our Town provides Three Simple Action Steps

1) Take the Pledge to Stop Hate and Bullying [2]

2) Join a local service project [3] or Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday march

3) Share the below videos on social media and with your school, business, or house of worship. Use the hashtags #MLKDay and #EmbraceTheDream

Also, check out how others are using these films [4], and download the discussion guide to Embracing the Dream here [5].

1. A Bowling Green Legacy (Bowling Green, OH., 2015)

After a series of racist incidents in Bowling Green, Ohio, students and community leaders join forces to build a Not In Our Town campaign to respond and create a plan for long term efforts to address racism and intolerance. (13:00).

2. Embracing Differences (Patchogue, N.Y., 2010)

After seven high school students assaulted and killed Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero in Patchogue, N.Y., local educators created a safe environment where students could express their feelings about the tragedy, and share their ideas about diversity, immigration, inclusion and respect (3:55).

3. After Cross Burning, a Town Marches Together (Anderson, CA, 2004)

When an African-American resident of the small Northern California town of Anderson woke one winter morning to an 8-foot-tall burning cross on her lawn, neighbors quickly organized in support of her and her young family (5:33).

4. Lowell High School Students Dance Away Hate (San Francisco, CA, 2010)

When Fred Phelps’ hate group pickets at Lowell High School in San Francisco, students rallied to show their love for their diverse, inclusive community (3:07).

5. Students Teach Students to Stand Up to Bullying (Cleveland, OH, 2009)

At Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Ohio, high school students mentor younger students in how to be an upstander, not a bystander, when faced with bullying and intolerant acts (5:47).

NIOS Categories:

Arts & Culture [6]

Diversity/Multiculturalism [7]

Hate Crime [8]

Preventative Strategies [9]

Racism [10]

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